Mike Allen Triodialectic

Label: Almus ALM11092 • 2003

Ottawa Citizen

"Few acts are harder to pull off in jazz than the saxophone trio. Without the harmonic signposts usually supplied by a piano or guitar, and without the variety they add as soloing instruments, the sax-bass-drums lineup can be tough to make interesting over an entire album.

Unless you play like Mike Allen.

Echoes of John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Joe Lovano resonate through Allen's work, but the Vancouver-based saxman has channelled them into a voice of his own, by turns soulful, intense, lush and dynamic.

Aided by the stellar Paul Rushka on bass and Julian MacDonough on drums, Allen is mindful of the need to offer a broad mix of originals and standards such as Nette's Cept and Everytime We Say Goodbye and to ensure none of the tunes overstays its welcome."